Method of controlling vehicle safety device

Abstract

A method of controlling a vehicle safety device including predicting, by a controller, a collision accident and a rollover accident by using a signal detected by an accident prediction detecting part installed in a host vehicle and supporting, responsive to a prediction of an accident of the host vehicle, by the controller, a passenger, the passenger being situated in a seat in the host vehicle, to remain on the seat by operating a seat device, the seat device being configured to support the passenger on the seat, while closing an opening/closing device, the opening/closing device being configured to openably and closably operate at a periphery of the passenger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a vehicle safety device, the method comprising:
 predicting, by a controller, a collision accident and a rollover accident by using a signal detected by an accident prediction detecting part installed in a host vehicle; and   supporting, responsive to a prediction of an accident of the host vehicle, by the controller, a passenger, the passenger being situated in a seat in the host vehicle, to remain on the seat by operating a seat device, the seat device being configured to support the passenger on the seat, while closing an opening/closing device, the opening/closing device being configured to openably and closably operate at a periphery of the passenger.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predicting further comprises:
 predicting a forward or rearward collision accident by determining a distance and relative velocity of the host vehicle with respect to vehicles traveling forward or rearward of the host vehicle based on the signal detected by the accident prediction detecting part.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein an occurrence of a forward or rearward collision accident is predicted by the controller when a vehicle velocity of the host vehicle exceeds a host threshold vehicle velocity, a collision risk level with a preceding or following vehicle, the collision risk level being calculated based on distances and velocities with respect to the preceding and following vehicles, exceeds a preset level, and a relative velocity with respect to the preceding or following vehicle exceeds a relative velocity threshold velocity. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the supporting occurs responsive to the relative velocity with respect to the preceding or following vehicle exceeding a first threshold velocity, and a time for which the relative velocity exceeds the first threshold velocity is greater than or equal to a predetermined time, and
 wherein the supporting is immediately initiated responsive to the relative velocity with respect to the preceding or following vehicle exceeds a second threshold velocity higher than the first threshold velocity.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predicting further comprises predicting a rollover accident by determining a roll motion of the host vehicle based on the signal detected by the accident prediction detecting part. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein occurrence of a rollover accident is predicted by the controller when a vehicle velocity of the host vehicle exceeds a host threshold vehicle velocity, a roll angle of the host vehicle exceeds a threshold angle, and a roll angular velocity exceeds a threshold angular velocity. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the opening/closing device comprises one or more of a window glass and a sunroof, and
 wherein the seat device comprises one or more of a seatbelt and a bolster device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the controller, a posture of the passenger by using a signal detected by a passenger posture detecting part installed in the host vehicle,   wherein the supporting further comprises controlling a posture of the seat responsive to the posture of the passenger being determined as a tilted rearward orientation, the seat operates in a basic seating mode in which an upper body of the passenger returns forward.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the supporting further comprises controlling a steering wheel to position the steering wheel at a preset basic position when a forward or rearward collision accident is predicted. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the supporting comprises controlling a steering wheel, the steering wheel being in a state in which the steering wheel enters a dash panel side or exits toward a driver side from a preset basic position, to move the steering wheel to the preset basic position, responsive to the forward or rearward collision accident being predicted.